Denver Nuggets: Grading The Return For Randy Foye

Oklahoma City Thunder fans will be happy with the additional depth that Randy Foye provides at the shooting guard position, but how does the return look for the Denver Nuggets?

The Denver Nuggets have received quite a haul in exchange for Randy Foye, acquiring D.J Augustin, Steve Novak and two second-round picks in exchange for the shooting guard. Foye has the potential to be a good fit for the Thunder, giving them a boost at a position of need as they strive for a championship, but this is an excellent trade for the Nuggets. The addition of Novak won’t get any fans excited, but D.J. Augustin is a serviceable replacement for Foye, and the two additional second-round picks are a sensational bonus for a player the Nuggets won’t miss.

To put it bluntly, Randy Foye hasn’t been remotely good for the Nuggets this season, and at 32 years old he doesn’t fit the timeline going forward. Foye currently holds the league’s 19th-worst PER, and he has only averaged six points on a poor 35 percent shooting in 19.8 minutes per game. For the Nuggets, this isn’t much of a loss for a team that is looking to build from the bottom, and the two second-round picks are valuable assets for their rebuild.

The Nuggets don’t have much of a need for Novak, and rumor has it they were looking to move him, but D.J Augustin could prove to be a big help, and Novak had to be included in the deal as the Thunder were looking to save money by moving the contract.

For the Nuggets, the value of this trade is securing two second-round picks, for essentially nothing of value to them. Randy Foye might have value to the Thunder, but for the Nuggets, he is a player they neither want nor need. Although the Nuggets absorb the contracts of both Novak and Augustin – saving the Thunder $9.8 million according to Brian Windhorst – all of the contracts involved in this trade (Foye’s, Augustin’s and Novak’s) come off the books at the end of this season. The fact that all of these contracts are expiring means that this trade won’t have any negative financial effects for either team moving forward.

Acquiring two draft picks for expiring contracts is an excellent move for the rebuilding Nuggets, and it’s one I am sure fans will be pleased with. It isn’t a blockbuster trade, but it’s a smart, forward-thinking move. It helps them build for the future, and it has little impact on the team’s playoff hopes this season.

Grade: A-